South East London covers plenty of ground and even more variety when it comes to choosing a new home. If you want to know the best places to live in South East London, where should you start looking? Start by asking the people who live there!
What makes South East London attractive as a place to live?
In a word: variety. That’s what this part of town has in spades. Quiet riverside living, ultra-modern neighbourhoods, urban regeneration meets understated chic, expansive suburban houses and gardens – it’s all available in this corner of the capital.
Our Top 10 best places to live in south east London
If this part of London appeals to you, then the advice of our HomeViews reviewers can help to get your search started. This list of the 10 best places to live is based entirely on local resident ratings.
These top 10 winners have the best combined scores across all the new build developments in the South East of London that are reviewed on HomeViews. This means that they have consistently impressed the people who live there, regarding everything from the design of the homes to the quality of the facilities and the level of service offered by the management staff.
See what it takes to get the thumbs up from South East London residents. If any catch your eye, just click to take a closer look.
*PLEASE NOTE these rankings take into account how many reviews a scheme has and how recently those reviews have been submitted, so may not match the overall star ratings shown. Buildings with a larger number of more recent reviews are given a greater weighting to reflect current building performance – as on our area guide pages.
Top of the charts in south east London is Union Wharf, a development featuring 249 rental-only apartments on the banks of Deptford Creek near Greenwich’s town centre. Its residents love the facilities here and find the concierge staff to be top-notch helpers in any situation. With great views, solid transport links and competitive prices, Union Wharf is a worthy winner of the top spot.
Taking second place in south east London is Elephant Central by Get Living. It’s right in the heart of London’s Elephant & Castle, a Zone 1 location with great connections to the City, Oxford Circus, King’s Cross and walking distance to London Bridge, Borough and the South Bank. The development itself has a great mix of 1-3 bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses, all available fully-furnished, with superfast WiFi included. Residents love the Club Lounge and Kitchen facilities as well as the Sky Courtyard.
In 3rd, Vida House, managed by Way of Life, is a residential development just a stone’s throw from central London. The development is only a short walk away from Surrey Quays Overground station as well as Canada Water Underground station. Each of the 138 one and two-bedroom apartments on site have an open plan layout. These come with a fully fitted kitchen with integrated dishwasher, washer/dryer and a fridge-freezer. In addition, the apartments have large bathrooms, bright and airy receptions as well as spacious double bedrooms with a walk-in cupboard for additional storage space. Residents also have access to a secure car park and ample underground bike storage area. Similarly, there is a dedicated management team on site with 24 hour CCTV security.
For number four on the list, we head (appropriately) to No.4 Upper Riverside in Greenwich Peninsula. Residents of No.4 love their access to a state-of-the-art gym and pool with a view of Canary Warf, designed by Tom Dixon. As well as this, North Greenwich station is only a two-minute walk away, with links to Canary Wharf. The sky terrace is also a big hit with those living here.
In fifth place we have another Upper Riverside development – also No.5 in Greenwich Peninsula’s latest neighbourhood. Designed by architects SOM with interior design by Knight Dragon Interior Design, the development is located just two minutes from the tube. No.5 Upper Riverside also hosts a selection of various apartments and sits right on the waterfront. In addition, residents become a part of the Upper Riverside Club. This includes access to the gyms, sauna, a 15th floor swimming pool, rooftop terraces as well as various shared spaces. Five new towers, shaped like prisms, offer sky-high homes right on the water’s edge and a string of cafes, bars and restaurants. Greenwich Peninsula boasts a mix of innovative architecture, green riverfront walkways and a revolving cultural programme.
In sixth place, Trinity Walk is a large residential development of 445 apartments and 13 townhouses in Woolwich, London. Properties are available as affordable rents, private purchases or as part of the London Help To Buy scheme. In addition, the development is a six-minute walk from Woolwich Arsenal station. Also, it is a mile away from the new Crossrail station at Woolwich.
Capturing number seven on our list of South East London’s best developments, L&Q at Elephant Park is a key part of the area’s extensive regeneration efforts, and offers buyers a range of stylish one or two bedroom Shared Ownership apartments, starting from a 25% share. In addition, residents benefit from nearby green spaces that include central London’s largest new park in 70 years, and the close proximity of Elephant & Castle’s Zone 1 rail and tube stations.
Situated on London’s South Bank, opposite the Royal Festival Hall, The Whitehouse Apartments takes the eighth spot, offering a selection of one, two and three-bedroom apartments. The development is within a four-minute walk to Waterloo station with its vast transport links via both Rail and Underground services and residents on site can enjoy rooftop gardens and a health and fitness suite.
In ninth place for South East London’s best places to live we have Vive Living on Childers Street. With smart, modern, light and airy apartments on offer, this new development is already causing a lot of positive buzz. One happy resident gushes:
“My flat is really lovely. Both the concierge and the property management are really helpful. They are also so fast to solve the problems. There is a work space on the ground floor and it is great for the people working from home! Luckily we have a cafe at the same place with work space so you can grab your coffee, take your seat and start working comfortably! Also the bakery is worth to try, they are so delicious! I definitely recommend here.”
Recently moving up into the top 10 is Marine Wharf West – a residential development from The Berkeley Group, located in Surrey Quays. Apartments here are separated by landscaped grounds, and they’re close to the River Thames and London’s largest working marina – South Dock. London City Airport, Surrey Quays station and the Thames Clipper riverbus services are all nearby.
Lambeth, Greenwich, Bexley, Bromley, Southwark, Elephant and Castle – you’d be hard-pressed to find a more diverse lineup, even in London. With this variety comes options. Whatever you’re looking for, you’re likely to find it here.
Each area has its own strengths and unique benefits. However, there are some positive factors that broadly apply to all of south east London. Firstly, its transport links are solid: tube, rail, Overground, bus and biking routes are all in play. And when it comes to amenities, you’re spoiled for choice. Local cafes, bars, restaurants and markets are varied and often excellent.
All of this adds to the lively and friendly community feel that extends throughout south east London. It has a great reputation for appealing to families, due to the wide availability of good schools. A respectable crime and safety record, and a thriving arts and music scene also aids its case.
Discover more top-rated new homes in our South East London area guide below. Or you can check out our Top Rated guides section to find the best developments in other areas of the capital.
South East London stretches from SE1 down to SE20, encompassing the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Greenwich, Lewisham and Southwark. Such a huge slice of the capital naturally has lots of different guises and offerings; from out-of-this-world dining scenes to riverside living and everything Read more about South East London
HomeViews provides verified resident reviews of the UK’s housing developments. We’re working with developers, landlords and the Government to recognise high performers and help to improve standards in the built environment.
